Michelle smiled, her eyes closed as she breathed in the scent of her husband just in from the office. He smelled like the city and parchment and ink and Goblins - a sharp contrast to the grass and the sunshine and laundry soap that Michelle had been up to her ears in all afternoon. She eased a palm along his side, up to his shoulder as she turned towards him. Michelle liked it best when he smelled of wind and the sweet tang of sweat from working outdoors. She tipped up her chin to open up her throat to him.

What if I want to have you? What do I need to do for that?"

Half opening one eye, Michelle stroked his ear with a fingertip. Many days Luke came home from work to find Michelle in a mess, with dinner half done and the baby whining and her hair not even combed once all day. It was harder than she had ever expected to try to care for a baby and a house at the same time and still have time for herself. Sometimes she was glad that Luke was away at the bank so he couldn't see just how stressed she got and complain about the way she took care of herself. At times like this, though, when she was peaceful in and out, she wished he could stay home all the time just to hold her like he was doing. Not that Benjamin would ever cooperate with that, of course.

Michelle kissed Luke's mouth and closed her eyes again, smiling. "You have to be very quiet," she whispered in response, and she began to slide her bare foot up the side of his leg.


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